How long would it take for society to collapse if there were no fuel for trucks, or nation wide power outage?

I don't know that it would take 4 weeks for millions to die. But consider the following. Major cities like LA and NYC require a daily stream of thousands of tons food and goods to function. Food shortages would develop rapidly and people would become violent and flee to the suburbs or exurbs when foodstuffs could no longer be obtained by force locally, creating widespread unreast. Smuggling and rapid cost escalations would exacerbate the problem.

Millions would not be able to survive, beacuse they would lack the skills or understanding of how to function with out the modern conveniences on which most depend.

In short; long term motor fuel and electricity shortages or the wholsale elimination thereof and the rapid economic decline that would ensue would rapidly destroy the social fabric of the nation.

The economies of the western world would collapse.

We as a people are not prepared to go back to pre-industrial technology. It would get very ugly, very fast.

People would have to react very fast to the situation to ensure that doesn't happen. Hospitals of course would be the most important to maintain. Then, because it is an emergency thing, create ways for people to get food, blankets, whatever. If this was permanent, people would eventually adapt and i dont think it would be an 1800s way of life, but it would be very different. i imagine that, if there was no fuel for america, than nobody else would have it either. and if america isn't functioning, imagine how that will phenominally effect the rest of the world.

Hellooooo...do people's legs not work anymore? Besides, we have enough stored fuel here in the US to make it for at least two weeks. I've always thought it would be kinda nice to slow life down a bit.

Well....since I started feeling a little bit testy after spending ten minutes trying to check out books at public library because the computers were down....

about an hour.

I woulld bet that within one week we would figure out some other form of fuel. Just watch it will be the best thing ever. Then the saudis can eat sand.

i love this emotional and telling poem. Tears bypass so abundantly that ultimately the middle can replace into detached. yet this potential will come back,the gentle will go back to warmth your soul in trouble-free terms using reality the comforting lighting fixtures furniture go back after a electric powered potential outage. This poem is so precise written and provocative. I do like it. thanks.

I'm ready! Just spent $1000 on a 6500 W generator.

I believe we might ultimately revert to killing each other for food. Yes the ultimate taboo, cannibalism. that's if we had enough time.

Anyone for a leg?

Go and ask the american indians how they survived for thousands of years.

it is surprising how very little you actually need, to survive.

when the time comes, those that can...will go on.